The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-13
DRINKS ron 4 WHOLE YEAR.


Abv1uNonNDR 1CCuoDuDG nftWtcn
Bnn and william the Darkeeper.
"Give me q Sullivan milk punch" we said.
Tho head barkeepor was engaged in deep
converse with tall thin man and was appar-
emily trying TO 1nd out how many figures he
could mako with q lead pencil on small busi-
ness card He heard the reporters order how
ever, and called out, Double dose OF No. @,
Mike: I'll put the fringe on" Then he smiled
and said. Good evening. Mr.. Blank. I'll be
with you In moment, sir. I'm engaged In an
arithmetical controversy at present"
Mike and his two fellow bartenders looked at
one another and winked, but they performed
the operation 30 deity that It failed to attract
the attention OF tho head bnrkeeper. When
Mike had transferred double dose Of No. 8
from a cheerful-looking bottle to goblet, and
had added certain quantity Of milk and other
Ingredients. the hoad barkeep dropped his
pencil and approached that part Of tho bar in
front Of which the reporter stood. Reaching
his hand across the mahogany, the head bar
keep murmurod: i hope you are we'll this
evening" Mr. Blank" 1t was one Of his Pc
culiarities to get hold Of tho namo Of all his
customers, and to fire Thorn of with grace.
Not exactly first chop, William" responded
tho reporter.
A carefully constructed combination OF sym
patty spread itself over Williams visage.
Change in the weather. sir" he suggested.
Maybe" said the reporter; but I'm under
the impression it's whiskey"
"Ah," responded william, solicitously. 1T
certainly couldn't havo been No. Q. sir"
NO." was tho reply. II have an idea It Was
about No. rs that did the business"
William smiled genislly. He was sure his
customer was joking. Twenty-Five decoctions.
he felt certain, could never place any Gentle-
man Of experience" hors de combat Modera-
ton, he opines, extended from twenty to forty
"inspirers" in q day. Now. last Sunday"
said William. II took q day off, In fact" he
added. with some slight appearance OF haste,
Il take every Sunday of. OF course, for in this
establishment we make a point OF observing
the law. But last Sunday I was with number
Of friends, and between and o'clock took
Have YOU entirely recovered :" INQUIRED tho
immensely industrious at nothing in particn-
sRs sSs
joke In the vicinity. He simply stated that bis
general !, health neysE was better But az he
Of ths VS. Wiz saa
ae Els HINT un
the hand was a foot above his head. In his left
s%P ybs s0s and se
sought The floor, until it was on level with his
knees aSs When hS the two bands we're about six
fully pointed toward common c1y centre .'' '"
Suddenly the Sontents Of the right hand COB
let ssot as5 nd
WiIliam's knees. Not q drop had been spilled
and SIX dS wa%
holders: Then. with eonrtly movement. the
The fringe upon il was an inch thick.
w &c ne as he
upon his handiwork. or the, latter he was
truly proud. 4 showed that be was great
that he was iInesi doscendant Of one Of Sit the
old masters Having packed the milk punch
william sepesssd sSs m an
mean ? tins. had been figuring away indus
There difference q Twenty drinks b;
To act hand9
su II x E n9thns o. bsS'
you state tho o' Ssss reped Mr. Bali. Who
tween us began William. NJ. Bal i pays f FOR
esnki o 1y h IFS Snts by the year inter-
'n sa iaR William "he pays for his drinks
Ne sSt
IsSsa WsS 'hs HI
sst s 1850 d1la 1S 81 PAP declared. land
s3s.a III, SS s ssiS sSs
the tel which
on Is
both dispntants hastily. After good humored
further explanation Of the puzzle. it was agreed
hat William should tel Of the agreement be-
besSh William hHF Was to
drink whiskey. end for each drink he was to
and after, . close calculation offered to put
aside for his solo use three barrels of whiskey.
r s sHsg zach
"What do you mean BY particular kind2"
Rn sSs ssll for good while" re-
Sn.si :, 5 aSx Iss %5s1
lies on the brIm;; Now, there are Just sixty and
Ell there must 'b Be over 246o dfinFs In barrel
sH Of wh.ts1 nSh H hs'
thinks dny: He must have drank i4o drinks
Ss iS 81 for s2 ziGHt hsv' 1880 Mr.
And / say ! owe for 1900 drinks" pro-
claimed Mr. Ball. The reporter looked at him.
man who was permitted to owe for 1900
thinks, and who persisted In the claim that he
,wed for twenty more drinks than his creditor
,ould account for, seemed something OF o GU
iosity, The fact that Mr.. Ball had demon
trated his ability to swallow 2 800 drinks In q
,ear and live, seemed evon less marvellous
han tho fact that he had never been asked for
wen payment on account. The scrutiny of
he reporter had no apparent effect upon Mr..
3all and when 1t ubsided little Mr.. Ball
Isked permission to show where William had
made miscalculation.
" H g. "a many days are there in year. Will
Three hundred and sixty-ive; at least this
=" II you will multiply 365 days by 20 you will
Ind lowe for 1890 drinks. There are, as you
az. 81 weeks In year. but. as matter Of
act. there are 50 II weeks in year Of 365
lays. You forgot about the odd day. William.
or z times 80 makes only 1854. That explains
Vhere got my twenty drinks"
Without further ado Mr. Ball drew pocket
,ook from an inside pocket and. having inves-
igated its contents. laid down upon the coun-
or x547.50.
!" Seven thousand three hundred drinks at
\ cents apiece" said Mr. Bali to William. is
Ia that cnrraot M plopb ~ pouirad WILL |